Due to Spain’s culturally- and historically-rich edifices and geographical location, travelers from all over the world have been drawn to taking a holiday trip to this brilliant country. But do you know that a different type of vacation could be experienced when you opt go to the rustic towns of Andalusia instead of staying in the popular cities of Spain?

A View of Jimena de la Frontera from a Hill

Andalusia is an autonomous community in Spain that boasts of favorable climate during the cold seasons in the country, so it is not a surprise how a good number of travelers flee to this part of the nation and flock at its beaches.

Many of the pueblos blancos retain their Roman and Moorish fortifications, ruined castles from a time when defence was everything. It’s a steep climb to the top of Jimena and up through craggy rocks to the summit, but the views from the 13th century remains are wonderful. The massive rock of Gibraltar lies to the south… The town is surrounded by Los Alcornocales Natural Park, vast groves of cork oak trees that still produce much of the world’s cork supplies. They have smooth rusty red trunks to the bottom where the cork has been stripped off until at around head height there’s an abrupt cut off point. Up from there the remaining cork bark is thick and gnarly and it seems incredible they can survive such a brutal ‘haircut’.

Catch the rest of her article here, and you’d be absolutely mesmerized by the picturesque towns only found in Andalusia.